On the move

Koorana Crocodile Farm's John Lever says both male and female crocs can travel from as far south as the Mary River right around the top end of Australia and back down to Broome in quest of love.

"If you're anxious to mate and you haven't got a mate with you, you're going to travel to try and find one so that's what crocs do at this time of the year.

"They meander around, they'll even go out into the ocean and come back in a different river system to try and find a mate.

"The big males are trying to define more territory because more territory means more females."

Nesting

The mating season begins in October and November, with nesting from December to April.

Mr Lever says people should learn how to recognise areas where crocodiles are nesting and stay well clear.

"If there's scratching on the bank and a mound of vegetation that's possibly a crocodile's nest.

"The female is hardwired to protect that nest site. As soon as she lays eggs she produces maternal hormones and those hormones for the next three months are active and tell her to care for that area."

He says the worst thing you can do is get between the water and the nest.

"If there are baby crocodiles in the water, never go near then because mum and dad are very good parents and their job is to protect them.

"If you find yourself between the nest and the water, you're in trouble."

Never smile at a crocodile

If you do by chance happen to find yourself staring down a mass of reptilian beast, as the song says, smiling at a crocodile will get you absolutely nowhere.

"There's normally warning signs like a hissing and a bellowing and a standing up high on all four legs and shaking violently to try and intimidate you, which normally works of course, and people should take notice of that and get out of the way," says Mr Lever.

"You back away from the water and away from the nest, that's the main thing.

Your best chance at survival is keeping calm and running away.

"Crocodiles don't move that fast, I mean they give people a hell of a shock because there's an urgency about the way they lunge but in terms of actually making kilometres per hour over the ground, we can jog away from them quite easily... even a brisk walk you'll get away from them.

"About 18 - 20 kilometres per hour... but you could do that with a croc after you quite easily."

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection encourages people to report crocodile sightings by calling 1300 130 372.

All reported sightings and investigations are then listed on their website.

Crocs in drought

Mr Lever says crocodiles only start coming closer to town when there is no fresh water available nearby to drink.

"Salt water crocodiles cannot drink salt water; they must have a drink of fresh.

"Crocodiles can get quite stressed with lack of fresh water to drink.

"When there's no rain, crocs start making their way into town.

"We need a good downpour and that will form little buckets and wallows and little rivulets out in the bush and the crocodiles can smell that out and they'll go to that fresh water."